189, 190, 175 all sound good to me but what's the difference?

[Donnyvcpt]

I just read a post of a fellow forumite saying she and her hubby waited 5 long years for their 175 skilled independent visa. To my understanding the 189 is a skilled migrant and the 190 is a state sponsored visa.

The question is, what is the difference between the 175 and the 189? Also why does it seem like the 175 takes forever to aquire while the 189 takes just 12 months give or take?

[Renny]

The 175 was the old permanent resident visa. They stopped processing them back in2012 and started with a new system and changed the visa type to 189. The people that applied for the 175 had the option to change over to 189 but many of the skills was taken off the new list so if you were on the old list witha 175 application you just had to wait it out or get no cisa at all.we got our one in jan this year after a 5 year wait. We are leaving in two months!

[HadEnoughofJuju]

The 175 and 189 are exactly the same visa, the 175 changed to the 189 on 1 July 2012. If you applied before 1 July 2012 then your visa will still be granted under the old numbering system.

The reason the visa took so long was because the occupation that it was applied for under may have been on the SOL when the application was submitted making it a category 4 visa but then dropped off the SOL, changing it to a category 5 visa which takes a lot longer to process.

Unfortunately there are many people in the same situation still patiently waiting for visas.

@Renny, I take my hat off to those of you who waited so long. I would have gone insane.

[Donnyvcpt]

Oh ok thanks for clearing that up for me. Renny you're definitely a trooper, patients is a virtue I lack unfortunately.

Count myself very lucky to qualify for the 189 then.

Edited May 12, 2014 by Donnyvcpt

[Renny]

Ye we were very frustrated in the first year or two. After that we realised that there were no use in getting impatient, all it did was make our lives sour. So many good things happened to us in the last 5 years that prepared us for this move, so for us I guess the timing was perfect.

[AndreaL]

Yes, the visa subclasses go through changes from time to time, I've been around since the General Skilled Visa was a 136, then a 175 and now a 189, supposedly many visa types were brought together to simplify the hundreds of visa types around.

The 175 replaced the 136 in September 2007 and then was replaced with the 189.

[miran]

I'm a Gr. 4 - 7 Teacher and my husband a Printer. When we lodged we were category 5, so we kind of expected a long wait. After 2 years I just stopped visiting the forum, so only heard that everything changed about 2 months ago. Another thing that changed is that you must now first send a Expression of Interest and then be invited to apply. I think they get fewer applications now (maybe) to actually process. (Not too sure about the last remark though....)

[TeeTMI]

As Miran states one of the changes made was that now you put in an expression of interest and wait to be invited to submit a visa application, therefore you pay when you submit the visa application. Previously, the visa application was put in directly, all the people who have been waiting 5 years have already paid a visa application charge and are waiting to be processed.

Unfortunately a build up of visa applicants occurred at that time and the Dept of Immigration changed the system and their processing priorities to address this. With the new system the department can control how many people it invites to apply for visas through the use of points, dates and quotas.

[HadEnoughofJuju]

Thanks Tee, I would guess that now that the system has changed and there are now a limited number of applications as apposed to pre July 2012 that those visas that have been lying around for ages are now been processed slightly quicker because DIBP what to clear their history.

I would also surmise that they are working towards lowering the number of visas being applied for and granted in the future as the countries population and workforce begin to become saturated/stabilize. Has to happen at some stage.

[JevonLeRoux]

Submitted an application for 175 Skilled Independent visa some time end of 2009, skills were assessed positively and IELTS passed. Mar-14 we were finally assigned a case officer. Wow - what was a wait.

Had a good look at the long lists of forms and supporting documentation and kept saying tomorrow. Mid-July figured it was time to chop the tree. All that's left is submitting the PCC, our son unabridged birth certificate (both we have applied for), and the medicals are booked for 21-Aug.

Our agent says that in her experience Nov-14 is likely. Please share your experiences.

Thanks.

[miran]

When we were assigned our CO in March 2014, the requested documents (IRP 5's, bankstatements and salary slips dated 2006 - 2008) had to be submitted within 28 days, or proof of applying for it (medicals, pcc ect.) My husband refused for a week, that left 21 days of scrambling to get everything.... You were lucky to get such a long time.

We submitted our final document (PCC) on the Friday and Monday morning 05:15 we got the grant email. Another lady, Alida, waited 2 - 3 weeks for the grant email after their last document. There's definitely not a set period of time between final submission and grant. I would really advise you to get it in as soon as possible the moment you receive the documents.

And then starts the agonising part of checking your emails every 5 minutes, setting your watch to Adelaide time to know exactly when their offices are open.......

[JevonLeRoux]

Miran - thanks for the feedback. Our agent was smart enough to submit one or two bits of information to keep the case officer appeased. Sounds like we were both in the same boat digging up information from 2006 to 2009. All of that has been done (IRP 5's, bankstatements and salary slips dated 2006 - 2008). My partner and I had to prove a de-facto relationship and that our son is, well, ours. That added an extra layer. We have proof of submitting the PCC and Unabridged Birth Certificate, and proof of appointment for the Medicals. The chest X-Rays are done.

WOW - really quick from last documents to approval. If that is the case and we get our last 3 documents (PCC, UBC, and Medicals) in this month we could be so lucky to receive it end of September?

Thanks for the feedback.

[miran]

I really think they want to get rid of "us old folk" meaning the old applications. Your CO has been staring at your application for so long, I think the moment you submit the last doc, you'll get the grant email....... I really hope so!

Good luck, I'll be waiting for your Grant post.....

[JevonLeRoux]

One step closer. 5 year old Max's Unabridged issued and submitted. Waiting on PCC which was submitted two weeks ago. Medicals are booked for 21-Aug. It's like so close.

[Renny]

good luck with the last stretch. We were also part of the 175 group (Nov 2008 applicant). We submitted our PCC (last doc to be uploaded) and the very next morning we had our grant letter in my inbox.

The PCC took about 3 weeks to come, but that was over Xmas time. We got it 13 Jan, submitted the same day and 14 Jan we got our visa.

We have been on the Gold coast for almost a month now

(edit) ps. we did follow up on the PCC's with a few people. Being polite but keeping on their case. I can't remember the emails, but if you search the forum you should find a few you can mail

Edited August 17, 2014 by Renny

[JevonLeRoux]

Hi Renny, thanks, for your feedback. We have a number for Pretoria, and spoke with a human on Thursday they advised it will be ready to issue this Monday (18-Aug). Let's hold thumbs. There is no doubt that Monday I will call again. Wow you were Nov-2008 and we were Nov-2009. It sure has taken some time to get a case officer and approved. I guess the wait is worth it as the type of visa is a win.

[JevonLeRoux]

OH YES - PCC's received and submitted. Medicals done and submitted. That's it folks. Everything is submitted. Now it's the wait, see, hope, and check for that email. The 5year wait is almost over.....

[Renny]

Give it a day or two!!! Log in to check every day!!

Ps, we only got the email 2 weeks later. Do

Make sure to log in and check yourself!!

[JevonLeRoux]

Its seriously official. We just got our 175 visa last week Wednesday. We have till Aug '15 to activate. Too good. Happy times ahead.

[miran]

Woohoo!!!!!!!!!! Fantastic news, huge congrats!!!!!!!!!!!